Paradise football team beats Enterprise in overtime

PARADISE — This time the Paradise High football team defended its home field against Enterprise.

In the first meeting between the two schools in nearly three years, it was Paradise that took down Enterprise, this time on the final play of overtime, when a botched snap to Enterprise senior quarterback Zack Trueblood on a 2-point conversion sealed a 42-41 Eastern Athletic League win for the Bobcats over the Hornets on Friday night at Paradise's Om Wraith Field.

A game, which on the surface looked like an offensive shootout, didn't start out that way, after each team's offense missed opportunities in the first half. Paradise senior quarterback Tom Hays completed just 2 of 5 passes for 41 yards, while Trueblood was 4 of 12 for 61 yards. Each quarterback also threw a touchdown pass, yet the score remained 14-10 Paradise (5-1, 3-0 EAL) at the half.

The second half played out entirely differently.

Hays and senior wide receiver Johnny Porter hooked up for two TDs — the second of which came courtesy of a one-handed 65-yard grab from Porter after the ball was deflected by Enterprise's Brock Barr, to push the Bobcats lead to 27-18 at the 4:35 mark of the third quarter.

Trueblood came right back and found Taylor Angley-Holman in the right corner of the end zone from 7 yards out to trim Paradise's lead to 27-25 with 1:57 to go in the period.

Porter scored his fourth TD of the game on the Bobcats' next possession, when he took a pitch from Hays and sprinted 59 yards down the left sideline for a 35-25 Paradise lead with 23 seconds on the clock.

That would be the last score for Paradise in regulation, while Enterprise (4-2, 1-1) added 10 more to tie the game at 35 through 48 minutes.

On to overtime.

This time Hays used his legs, when the 6-foot-3 lanky signal-caller sprinted around the right edge for nine yards, getting the ball down to the Enterprise 1-yard line. On the ensuing play, big Jonathan Dixon pounded in past his offensive line and through the Enterprise defense for a 1-yard TD and 41-35 Paradise advantage.

Junior kicker Sutter Wyatt nailed the PAT to extend the lead by one.

Enterprise wasn't done, as Trueblood found his tight end, 6-1 senior Travis Hall, on a fade route on the first play of its overtime possession. However, after a timeout, the Hornets elected to go for two points and the win.

The potential winning play never got started, as the snap was botched, which allowed Paradise to rush Trueblood, break up the conversion attempt and seal the win over Enterprise.

The Bobcats travel to Asgard Yard to take on Chico next week, while Enterprise battles Foothill.

Connect with Paradise Post Sports Editor Jeff Larson on Twitter @jtlarson. For more on this game including post-game comments, go to www.paradisepost.com.